Removing a toilet seat

Cactus_Flowers

I am trying to replace a toilet seat and am having big problems removing the one that's currently there, specifically with the plastic ring around the caps that are holding them in place.

I've googled for help, and the instructions I've found deal with how to remove the screw which is presumable under the chrome caps, but my problem is that I can't get to that point as I can't get the caps off. The most successful thing I've tried so far is to heat the plastic up with a hairdryer and then try to get underneath with a knife, but I can't seem to run the knife underneath enough of it to pry it off and the toilet itself is starting to look a bit shaky with the force I'm putting into it. Are there any other ways to get it off? Or should I just keep going with this method?

I'm very much a novice DIYer, so please excuse me if I've missed something obvious!

[Deleted User]

Hi,

can you not unscrew from below?

Any chance of a photie?

oldernonethewiser

Have you had a look on Youtube as well as Googling

Apologies if that has already been done.

Cactus_Flowers

Apologies for the grime in the photos, I have cleaned as well as I can but I don't even know how many years it's been in place so everything I do just keeps uncovering more grime! I was able to get the seat itself off to give me more room to work.

The nuts below do not seem to move at all, so I think I need to uncover the top of the screw to get some leverage. The cap on the right is the one I've been working on, and I'm able to get a knife under about 40% of it. The cap on the left is already loose (one of the reasons to replace the seat), but although it slides a bit back and forth on the bowl it's not rising at all.

I've looked on youtube for help, but so far nothing has worked - I might just be using the wrong terms though.

ThisIsWeird

The nuts below will have to move! That's how the seat is secured.

Good chance, if the nuts are seized on the thread, that the whole threaded rod will unscrew from inside that top collar, which would be good news as it involves less unscrewing.

Q - what tool do you have to use on that nut?

Q - what do you plan to do once it's off? You can get replacement hinges for these types of seats.

Bottom line (snigger - I said 'bottom!') is that the nut/rod will come off, if you have a good enough spanner.

Don't try and prise off the chrome collar on top - it won't.

grumbler

I think you have to unscrew the nuts below. Did you use a proper spanner?  If there isn't enough space for a normal spanner, you'll probably need a box/tubular one 

[Deleted User]

Hi,

that type of fitting usually has wing nuts underneath, hopefully plastic, easier to break off.

Something like this,

Cactus_Flowers

ThisIsWeird said:

The nuts below will have to move! That's how the seat is secured.

Good chance, if the nuts are seized on the thread, that the whole threaded rod will unscrew from inside that top collar, which would be good news as it involves less unscrewing.

Q - what tool do you have to use on that nut?

Q - what do you plan to do once it's off? You can get replacement hinges for these types of seats.

Bottom line (snigger - I said 'bottom!') is that the nut/rod will come off, if you have a good enough spanner.

Don't try and prise off the chrome collar on top - it won't.

Thanks for this! I'll stop working on the top and try to go in from the bottom ( ) - I had a go with the adjustable wrench I have, but there's not much room so gave it up quite quickly but will try again.

I have a whole replacement set that I'll be putting in place, I'm looking forward to a plain white seat instead of a sparkly glitter toilet

Cactus_Flowers

grumbler said:

I think you have to unscrew the nuts below. Did you use a proper spanner?  If there isn't enough space for a normal spanner, you'll probably need a box/tubular one 

There's not much room at all, and now I'm thinking about it I definitely will not be able to get any kind of normal spanner in on the left/wall side. Is this the kind of spanner I'll need? https://www.toolstation.com/box-spanner-set/p59905

[Deleted User]

Hi,

have a look at your new fixings, should be similar.

ThisIsWeird

Cactus_Flowers said:

grumbler said:

I think you have to unscrew the nuts below. Did you use a proper spanner?  If there isn't enough space for a normal spanner, you'll probably need a box/tubular one 

There's not much room at all, and now I'm thinking about it I definitely will not be able to get any kind of normal spanner in on the left/wall side. Is this the kind of spanner I'll need? https://www.toolstation.com/box-spanner-set/p59905

Yes, but possibly worth finding a tool that you'll use in future. Say a 'Mole' wrench?

https://www.toolstation.com/search?q=mole+grips